The Air Raid Book Club(73)
“Mama, do I have to do my tricks?” he whispered.
Elizabeth ran a hand through his hair. “You’ve been practicing all week, Billy.”
“I would really like to see your show,” said Hedy.
“Will you be my assistant?”
“It would be my honor.”
“We went to visit my mother last week,” whispered Elizabeth as Margery strode onto the stage.
“How is she?” asked Gertie.
“Much better, thank you. It was a good visit,” said Elizabeth.
“I’m glad, dear,” said Gertie, patting her hand.
“Good evening, everyone,” cried Margery in resounding tones. “Welcome to our Christmas revue. We have a wonderful program full of surprising talent. And to start our show, may I present Miss Eleanora Snipp, who will perform ‘Ave Maria’ on the saw.”
Gertie watched in amazement as her orders clerk, whom she had known for over thirty years, began to play this most eccentric of instruments, her expression fixed in serious concentration. It was mesmerizing and oddly charming, and one in a succession of many entertaining surprises that evening. Mr. Travers proved to be a dab hand on the harmonica, Emily Farthing entertained them with a song and comedy act that reminded Gertie of Gracie Fields, and one man rode a unicycle, another balanced bricks, and a woman tap-danced and played the banjo in perfect unison. Gertie found it all utterly delightful. When it came to Billy’s turn, his mother kissed his cheek and Hedy held out her hand.
“He’s very nervous,” whispered Elizabeth to Gertie. There was a creak behind them as the door to the hall opened. Gertie glanced over her shoulder to see Elizabeth’s mother and father appear. When Gerald stood up to let Lady Mary sit down, she accepted with a gracious tilt of her head, while her husband stood stone-faced at the side of the room. Gertie glanced at Elizabeth, who was transfixed by her son and hadn’t noticed her parents’ entrance. Billy already had the audience in the palm of his hand as he pulled a string of flags from Hedy’s pocket. Hedy was playing the perfect assistant by reacting to his actions with a mixture of astonishment and delight. Gertie and Elizabeth laughed along with everyone as Billy requested that Hedy cluck like a chicken while he waved his magic wand over an empty black felt bag. When he produced two eggs from the bag, the crowd roared. For his finale, he brought down the house by pretending to throw a jug of water, which turned out to be full of silver streamers, over the spectators. Elizabeth and Gertie leapt to their feet, whooping and cheering with the rest of the audience. Gertie stole a glance behind her and noticed that Elizabeth’s mother was doing the same, while her father’s serious expression had lifted to one of bright-eyed amusement. Billy and Hedy took several bows before he led her from the stage.
“Grandmama!” he cried, running toward the back of the hall as soon as he spied her. Elizabeth looked on in amazement as Billy flew into her mother’s arms. She turned to her father, who acknowledged his daughter with a courteous nod.
Margery appeared on the stage once more, waiting for the audience’s hush. “I would like to thank all our performers,” she said. “I hope you will agree that this has been a most uplifting evening. I must thank Mrs. Gertie Bingham for coming up with the idea in the first place.” There were cheers of agreement as she led the audience in a round of applause. Margery waited for the clamor to die down before continuing. “We are all facing difficult, dark times, but I believe that we are able to keep going because of the people around us.” She caught Gertie’s eye as she said this. “We gain strength from one another when we need it most, and I for one am grateful for that. I would like to finish this evening with a song. A friend told me that I had to sing tonight, but I would ask you to join in, because I think we all know the words. Gerald, if you would be so kind.”
Gerald took his place at the piano and played the opening bars to “We’ll Meet Again.” Margery started to sing, impressing everyone with her clear, sweet tones. Slowly the whole room joined in for a rousing chorus of the song that was so familiar and poignant to them all. By the end, there wasn’t a dry eye in the place.
“What a splendid evening,” said Gertie as they left the hall. “And we managed to get through the whole show without an air raid.”
“Can Grandmama and Grandpapa come and stay at our house tonight?” asked Billy.
“Not tonight,” said Elizabeth.
“But we’ll see you at Christmas,” said Lady Mary.
“Really?” said Billy. His mother nodded.
Billy hugged his grandmother and then, instinctively, his grandfather, who looked astonished before his face softened. “There’s a good lad,” he said, patting his grandson’s head.
Lady Mary grasped Gertie by the hand. “Thank you,” she whispered. “For persuading Elizabeth to come to see us. I know you had a hand in it and I’m grateful.”
Gertie caught sight of Elizabeth kissing her father good night. “Families need to look after one another if they can,” she said. “Merry Christmas, Lady Mary.”
“Merry Christmas, Mrs. Bingham.”
Christmas was a quiet affair. With Elizabeth and Billy away and Mrs. Constantine at home nursing a cold, it was just Gertie, Hedy, and Charles for Christmas dinner. Even Hemingway didn’t seem enthusiastic about the festive delicacies on offer this year. Mutton followed by tinned pears hardly seemed like a recipe for cheer, and yet as the three of them sat around the table, Gertie knew she had a lot to be grateful for. A stranger looking in at them now might presume that they were a family, and in many ways, for Gertie, that was precisely what they were. She watched as Hedy laughed at something Charles said and wondered at the circumstances that had brought them together. To think she might have missed all this by retiring. She couldn’t picture a life beyond the war, but more important, she couldn’t picture a world without these two people. Of course, she missed Harry every day, but life without him had become more bearable since the war had gifted her new purpose.